Display device



NVENTOR ATTORNEY 0c,t. 25, 1932. w. l. BLOCK DISPLAY DEVICE Filed oct.17. 192e Patented Oct. 25, 1932 ECE WILLIAM I. BLOCK, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY DISPLAY DEVICE Application filed October 17,1928. Serial No. 312,982.

rihis invention relates in general to display devices and moreparticularly to an improved metal display board or rack for holding andexhibiting advertising literature, time tables L; and the like.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a metalliterature rack containing simple partition or spacing means which maybe readily adjusted to adapt the rack to hold and exhibit advertisingmatter of a variety of different sizes.

Another important object of my invention is the provision of slidinglyadjustable partition or spacing members which are interchangeable andadaptedto be readily inserted into the literature rack. f

Another important object of my invention is the provision of such anadjustable-literature rack which consists of a small number 30 of parts,which is of simple and inexpensive construction, pleasing in appearanceand which requires a minimum number of operations in its manufacture.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawing disclosesv a preferredembodiment thereof. u

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the literature rack of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section through the longitudinal center ofthe rack.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section through the part of the rackindicated by lines 3 3 of Fig 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the adjustable partition membersor spacers.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown inthe drawing, an adjustable literature rack comprising a backing plate orpanel 11, having marginal parts of its longitudinal sides bent outwardlyto form side walls 12, the eXtreme edges of the side walls being curled'inwardly to present a smooth rounded surface. The material at thebottom of the backing plate 11 is turned outwardly at substantiallyright angles and 5 then upwardly to form a bottom wall or flangeAsupporting horizontal channel bottom' 19. 8*

13 and a front wall or flange 14. The top of the plate is perforated atits longitudinal center at 15 for the purpose of fastening the rack to awall or other convenient structure. The extreme top edge 16 of the plateis cut to present a pleasing ornamental outline. 1t will thus be seenthat the backing platek or rear wall 11, the curled side walls 12, thebottom wall 13 and the front-wall 14, constitute the main frame or panelof my rack and all` these parts are die formed out of one flat piece orblank of sheet metal by a minimum of simple die operations.

A U-shaped transverse pocket or channel 17, die formed out of one pieceof sheet metal, f r extends transversely the width of the backing plate11 from the inner surface of one side wall 12 to the inner surface ofthe opposite side wall 12 and at right angles to these walls. ThisU-shaped transverse channel piece comprises a vertical rear wall 18,secured lat against the backing plate 11 by means of welding, rivetingor soldering, a horizontal channel bottom or wall 19 at right angles tothe rear wall 18 and another verticalwallf21, somewhat shorter than therear wall 18, and

vparallel therewith, and on an even plane of the curled edges of theside walls 12. The function of this transverse pocket 17 is Yto supportthe lower edges of stacks 22 and 28 of advertising literature orpamphlets which ymay be placed there in upright position, the

front wall 21 forming a holding rail which prevents the literature fromslipping off the This literature receiving channel or pocket 17 willaccommodate a stack of advertising literature which is equal inthickness'to the width of the bottom 19 ofthe transverse channel 17. Thelocation of this literature receiving channel 17, while shown below thetransverse center of the backing platev 11, may be varied according tothe number of such pockets desired, which number is in turn'deter- Imined by the dimension of the backing plate "m 11 and the varyingdimensions of the literature desired to be displayed.

- A. bottom transverse channel or pocket 24 is formed b v the said parts13 and 14 together With the lower part of the backing plate 11.

The construction and function of this channel 24 are substantially thesame as those of the channel 17, except that the parts of the channel 24are all formed integral with the plate 11.

Spaoed a short distance above the transversechannel 17 and extendingparallel therewith, a slide track 25 is provided. This track 25 isformed from a one piece rectangular sheet metal blank and comprises aflat rear wall 26, secured against the backing plate 11, by welding,riveting or soldering or in any other suitable manner. The metal of itslongitudinal marginal edges is bent upwardly and inwardly to formretaining or guide flanges 27, which, together with the flat wall part26, define oppositely disposed slide grooves or channels 28, in whichcertain parts of a sliding spacer 29 are adapted to travel.

This sliding spacer29 is shown in perspective in Fig. 4. Itis formedfrom a rectanguiar sheet metal blank in one operation and comprises asubstantially fiat rear wall 30 having its top and bottom edges bentbackward, a part of their width from the plane of the wall 30 to formresilient, slanting, sliding'flange parte 31 and straight sliding flangeparts 32, the parts 31 and 32 being adapted to operate in the slidegrooves 28 of the track 25. The backward bend ofthe parts 31 relative t0the 'parts 32 causes that part of the wall 30 which lies between theparts 31 to be spaced away from the rear wall 26 of the track 25 andalso causes the sliding Hangers to operate within the grooves 28 underslight c0mpression. A side wall 33, extending forwardly and havingnotches 34, and bent at right Ingles tothe wall 30 and a front flange orwall or flange 35 bent at right angles to the wall 33, complete theconstruction of the sliding spacer 29. The flange 35 serves as aretaining hook to hold the stacks 22 and 28 in upright position. Thesliding spacers 29 are inserted into the slide track 25 through a breakor opening 35 in the top guide flange of the track. The lower slidingflange 31 of the spacer 29 is inserted first in the lower slide groove28 and then the upper sliding flange 31 is slid behind the upper slidegroove 28. The spacer 29 may be inserted with the Harige 35 facingeither direction according to the needs of the particular case. Forinstance, viewing Fig. 1, the sliding spacer which holds the stack 23 inposition has its top flange 35 facing in the left-hand direction,whereas the spacer 29 which holds the left Side of the stack 22 has itsholding or top flange 35 facing in the right-hand direction. All of thespacers 29 are of identical construction and are interchangeable.

A second slide track 36 is shown in Figjl extending transversely a shortdistance from and parallel with the lower supporting channel 24. Sincethis track is of identical construction and function with the track 25and is adapted to receive the same sliding spacers 29 a furtherdescription of it is deemed unnecessary. It will be readily apparentthat the number of tracks will always be the same as the number oftransverse channels, including the bottom channel 24, since the twoalways complement each other.

1t is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodilnent thereof.

I claim:

l. The combination of a backing plate having its lower edge turnedforward and upward to form a channel, a slide track having its top andbottom to form retaining channels, and spacers adjustable to any placeon said track and having rear walls engaged under said channels and sidewalls extending forward, and frontwalls extending sidewise at a distancefrom said backing plate.

2. The combination of a backing plate having transverse channels, andslide tracks, one

arranged at a distance above each channel 'i' and formed with downwardlyand upwardly bent retaining ianges, and spacers on each of said tracksand engaged with said flanges and adjustable to any place on said tracksand having front walls spaced from 'said backing plate.

3. In a literature-holding and display device, the combination of abacking plate, a vertical series of horizontal channel members arrangedone above another on said backing plate, a vertical series of horizontaltracks arranged on said backing plate one track above each of saidchannel members, and a horizontal series of laterally adjustableliterature-spacing and holding members ar; il

ranged in each of said tracks.

4. In a literature-holding and display device, in combination, a backingplater having Side walls, a series of channel members on said backingplate arranged in line one ver'- tically above another and extendingacross between said side walls, a series of slide tracks on said plateabove said channel members respectively and having vertical front Hangs,and spacer members in each of said tracks having slide-portions arrangedbehind said front flanges and spacing portions extending forward betweensaid front flanges and front literature-holding portions, whereby saidspacer members in each track may be adjusted to any desired positionsbetween said side walls.

WILLIAM I. BLCK.

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